Converge – Hum of Hurt (Triple-Review)

Max’ Review

When Converge released Love is not enough earlier this year, I don’t think anyone expected what would happen next. Just a few months later, the band announced another full-length record. It almost feels like Christmas came early for Converge fans. Hum Of Hurt, out on June 5th via Epitaph, is already the band’s second album of the year and another reminder that Converge never stop pushing themselves creatively.

Before anyone assumes this is simply a continuation of Love Is Not Enough, Jacob Bannon was quick to clarify that “it’s not part two.” And after spending time with the album, that statement couldn’t be more accurate. While both records were born around the same period, Hum Of Hurt feels like its own entity. It explores different moods, different ideas, and at times even different versions of what Converge can be.

The album opens with “Slip the Noose“, a track built around frantic drumming and a restless rhythm before exploding into a grinding face-ripper. It’s an immediate reminder that Converge still know exactly how to hit with maximum force. But from there, the record starts revealing its more unusual side.

“Doom in Bloom” feels raw, noisy, and deeply personal. Bannon explained that the song deals with the realization that maturity doesn’t necessarily heal old wounds, and you can hear that weight in every note. Despite its mid-tempo pace, the track is incredibly catchy thanks to another masterclass in riff writing from Kurt Ballou.

Then comes “It Only Gets Worse“, which takes the noise elements to another level entirely. Imagine some of the most chaotic moments from Jane Doe buried under layers of harsh noise and darkness.

What impressed me most about Hum Of Hurt is how willing the band is to step away from their established formula. There are moments where the hardcore and metal influences almost disappear completely. Replaced by something closer to noisy rock music.

The experimental side shines brightest on tracks like “It’s Not Up to Us“. The opening feels like something The Melvins could have written before Converge twist it into their own strange creation. Meanwhile, Nate Newton’s bass work deserves special mention. On “Dream Debris” in particular, his bass lines pull you directly into the song and add another layer of depth to the album’s sound.

One of the biggest surprises is the sheer heaviness found in some of the slower material. There are moments on this record that feel doomier than anything Converge have attempted before. As Bannon himself put it: “When we were working on it, we were saying, ‘Does it need anything else?’ We decided it didn’t because it’s just so fucking heavy.” It’s hard to argue with that assessment.

Overall, Hum Of Hurt stands firmly on its own. It never feels like a collection of B-sides or leftovers from the Love Is Not Enough sessions. Instead, it feels like another fully realized chapter in Converge’s constantly evolving story. More than two decades into their career, the band continues to find new ways to challenge themselves and their listeners.

The experimental moments are where Hum Of Hurt truly shines. They remind us why Converge remain one of the most important and creative bands in heavy music. Not because they repeat themselves, but because they refuse to.

Ray’s Review

This year marks a pivotal return for mathcore legends Converge. Not only did they drop their tenth record, Love Is Not Enough, on us—a welcome callback to their humble beginnings—but the Boston four-piece also quickly announced a second record entitled Hum Of Hurt, seemingly just for the sake of it. It’s as if they knew they were due to make up for the long LP absence since 2017’s The Dusk In Us. And at this point in their career, after dropping numerous classic records on us, they simply have nothing left to prove. One could argue that a double LP would have been the better way of releasing new music, but in this day and age of dissolving attention spans, who can really blame them?

The tricky question is: does Hum Of Hurt separate itself enough from its immediate predecessor? And are these four maniacs able to maintain its quality level? For sure, it’s Converge. At this point, it becomes quite ridiculous how locked in the Boston natives are when it comes to releasing engaging and moving heavy music. Chaotic opener “Slip The Noose” picks up the pace of Love Is Not Enough with frantic rhythm shifts, dissonant guitar leads, and throat-ripping vocals by Bannon (backed up by Nate Newton, of course). While not quite as impactful as the title track on their previous record, the You Fail Me callback works perfectly, introducing you to the world of Hum Of Hurt. Short, concise, and fun. That’s how we like it.

“Doom In Bloom” then introduces the promised noise rock influences with its off-kilter groove bombardment and classic rock-song structure before erupting into a menacing breakdown to close things off. Bannon was right when describing this second record as less metallic and more subdued in its approach. Every subsequent track also incorporates more spastic bursts of tempo switches, dissonant riffs, and off-beats, flirting with different dynamics (“Detonator”) and moods while also beating your ass the Converge way (“I Won’t Let You Go”).

But the album’s centrepiece comes in the form of the slow-burning six-minute highlight that is “Dream Debris”. The slow and bass-heavy build-up results in an intense call-and-response climax between Newton and Bannon, portraying a band that clearly knows what it is doing, as none of it feels boring or one-dimensional. This can also be attributed to the carefully crafted track sequencing, which allows each song to connect with a distinct sonic foundation. Compared to their most recent record, Hum Of Hurt might not have immediate hits such as “Bad Faith” (although the title track comes damn close), but it is more cohesive and dynamic. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that these records have been released separately. They work together as yin and yang, reconciling the band’s humble and straightforward beginnings with the more experimental stage of its later career. Technically, lyrically, and production-wise, no one really expects anything less than stellar either, and the band does not disappoint in those regards.

Hum Of Hurt is the perfect follow-up to Love Is Not Enough. It portrays a household name of the genre that still has enough bite and vigor left in it at a stage where most comparable acts would fail to sound as convincing as these guys do. Dropping two completely different records within just a few months seems logical and honest and is a true testament to Converge, cementing their status as one of the most influential and, frankly, one of the best bands to ever do it. In other news, water is wet. Now eat that shit up. Getting hurt never felt so good.

Thomas’ Review

Two Converge albums in a single year—just the fact that this happened is one of the best pieces of news of the year. Love Is Not Enough was a remarkably strong record that will undoubtedly hold its own within the band’s discography. Barely four months later, we are now being treated to Hum of Hurt. And “treated” is the right word, because Hum of Hurt is far more than a collection of leftovers from its predecessor. It stands as a work of art in its own right.

“Slip the Noose” doesn’t merely kick the door open—it throws the door straight at the listener. While much of the previous album was comparatively straightforward, the opener recalls the more intricate and unpredictable side of the Boston outfit. Similar in spirit, and already familiar in a different form, is “I Won’t Let You Go”. The original version, featured on the Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack, sounded a little more technical—at least by Converge standards. Here, everything feels considerably more organic and, as a result, even more chaotic.

The track that stands out the most is the epic “Dream Debris”. Attentive listeners will immediately recognize the melody from “Beyond Repair”, the interlude on Love Is Not Enough. “Glacial Pace” was the first point of reference that came to mind when I heard this song for the first time. After those six minutes there’s nothing left but awe.

One classic Converge tradition also continues on this record: outstanding title tracks. “Hum of Hurt” is another worthy entry in that lineage and should resonate with anyone who loved All We Love We Leave Behind. Rising slowly over the horizon, it gradually builds momentum before completely overwhelming the listener when the chorus finally crashes down.

Hum of Hurt, to rephrase the beginning of this review, is a well nurtured beast of its own. Giving the fans who are more into the chaotic (“It’s not up to us” or “It only gets worse“) and outside of the box (“Dream debris“) side of Converge fans 34 minutes of painful pleasure. For a band that has been this long in the Hardcore genre the sheer energy put on display here is astounding. If Converge ever leave, the gap they’ll leave behind, will be gigantic.

Team TMB

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